The whole family said they were pleased. Even Windsor, who had wanted her before, treated her with full respect. During that hour, Caroline also learned much of their private gossip. They had opened up to her as if she were a close friend they trusted with everything. The heavy woman and her husband looked mismatched, yet they had lived in real happiness both before and after the apocalypse. They had grown up together as childhood friends. Back then, the heavy woman had chased away the boys who bullied the man who later became her husband. Later, when trouble struck his family, she had stolen bread from home and fed him until he grew tall and strong. Back then, the heavy woman handed her breakfasts to the handsome man so he could eat a little more each day. She barely ate anything herself, so she stayed small and thin. When the handsome man grew up, he married her. They took over her family's bread shop and built a peaceful life together. He fed his wife all the time. He always offered her the best food first. He spoiled her with every meal and made her gain more weight little by little. She had not been this large before. When the apocalypse first hit, she had dropped to about 100 pounds. But the handsome man loved her too much to let her go hungry. He worked inside the shelter with their two sons. He handed every dollar they earned to his wife so she could eat well. By the time she left the shelter, she already weighed more than 200 pounds. She later became the leader. She used her ability each day to produce holy water. The handsome man saw how it drained her, so he kept bringing her rich meals to make up for it. That was how her size reached this point. Her weight had begun to hurt her health, so she finally decided to lose some of it. This was also why she became the leader. The others had strong abilities, but they moved like bodyguards. She stood in the center of a world shaped by three men who adored her.Once Caroline learned all this, she felt even more eager to build a long-term partnership with them. She believed they were not like the usual groups that fought for territory. They were a family. They lived around one woman who held their hearts. That meant they had people they loved and people they refused to betray. They had lines they would not cross. Caroline knew the real danger came from the ones who had no family, no friends, and nothing left to lose. The heavy woman and her family also wanted a deal with the military. The woman ate a great deal. She wanted more than she had. She had hoped for military cans for a long time. She had been reaching out to people to talk about her ability, and she had even named it holy water so the military would notice her. As for why the family trusted Caroline so quickly... Caroline stepped out of the building and tapped her Zero System. A new description lit up on the screen. Extraordinary Energy: A Lovely Day in the Neighborhood. Notes: When you use this ability, everyone near you will feel warm toward you. Their guard will fade. If you add a sincere smile and a friendly tone, they will believe almost anything you say. They will spend money for you, work for you, and even throw themselves into wild tasks if you suggest it. Use this ability and enjoy a lovely day in the neighborhood, even in the apocalypse. Let the people around you feel happy when they look at you. Usable times: 5. Caroline had triggered the ability the moment she realized her natural charm would not convince them. The ability came with a flaw. Once she activated it, the effect stayed for 24 hours. That meant that for the next 24 hours, anyone who met her would believe she was a good person and would want to be around her. Caroline thought the world would have changed for her if she had owned this ability before everything collapsed. She would have walked into deal after deal, and she might have walked out with enough money to fill warehouses with supplies. She felt this ability fit every shady trade and every clever bargain. She felt thrilled after this trip. She planned to stop by the shelter later and tell Francis that she had used the military's name to work with this group. She wanted him to know they could build a steady partnership here. She believed her ability gave her real value. Little did Caroline know, the news would make Francis smile so wide that it looked painful. He would grab canned food on the spot because he wanted to strike a deal with her. Alger was the one who went out to make that deal. When Alger walked into the mid-rise building in full uniform and gave his name, the two brothers froze in place.